New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Experts and stakehoklders on Saturday welcomed the government's announcement to set up five Centres of Excellence for skilling and another centre for Artificial Intelligence in education, saying these will not only help foster innovation but also create a future-ready talent pool.

Infrastructure expansion at the five new IITs to facilitate 6,500 more students, 10,000 new medical seats and a big Artificial Intelligence push, are among the big announcements made by the government for the education sector in the 2025-26 budget.

"The expansion of IIT infrastructure to accommodate 6,500 more students and the 500 crore allocation for a Centre of Excellence for AI in Education are a step forward in nourishing India's technical and digital capabilities," said Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council.

"Furthermore, with a focus on fostering inclusive education, preserving regional languages, and ensuring students can learn in their mother tongues, we commend the Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak scheme that will provide digital access to Indian language books," he said.

Ashish Munjal, the Co-Founder and CEO of Sunstone, said the establishment of the National Centres of Excellence for skilling is a transformative step.

"The government's 'Make for India, Make for the World' vision reinforces the need for hands-on learning and future-ready training, which we actively promote. The increased focus on AI-driven education and medical training further highlights the commitment to preparing India's workforce for emerging global opportunities," he said.

Supriya Pattanayak, Vice Chancellor, Centurion University, Odisha, said it is an encouraging sign that the government has continued to put adequate focus on the need for skill development for the second consecutive year.

"We also request the government to consider policies that promote and enhance skill-integrated higher education at existing public as well as private institutions, especially in regions outside the metro cities," Pattanayak said.

Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman, Seth Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions, said the fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc will pave the way for innovations and build a culture of research.

"The addition of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs and broadband connectivity in government schools is a step toward democratising access to innovation, ensuring every child regardless of background has the opportunity to contribute to the nation's growth," said Nipun Goenka, Managing Director, GD Goenka Group.

Kunal Vasudeva, Co-founder and Managing Director, Indian School of Hospitality, said the budget sets the right direction with AI-driven education, research fellowships, deep-tech funding, and global skilling partnerships.

"These are crucial steps toward positioning education as an economic powerhouse. However, policy is always a work in progress -- the real test is execution. If India is to leapfrog in education the way it did in digitization, we need a 10X mindset in implementation, institutional accountability and adaptability," he said.

Dr Raj Singh, spokesperson of JAIN Online and VC JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), said the focus on Indian languages, skill development and new skill development programmes will empower a diverse and future-ready workforce as well as further enhance the value of Indian education.

Anish Srikrishna, CEO, TimesPro said, the establishment of five National Centres of Excellence for skilling, in collaboration with global expertise, will be instrumental in preparing a skilled workforce for emerging industries.

"Additionally, the Rs 500 crore investment in the AI Centre of Excellence for education further emphasises the government's commitment to fostering innovation and future-ready talent pool. These initiatives will drive economic growth and ensure that India remains at the forefront of the global digital and knowledge economy," he said.

Saurabh Arora, Founder and CEO, University Living, said the expansion of IITs, 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, and the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence with Rs 500 crore funding reflect a strong focus on skilling the youth.

"Additionally, the streamlined process for claiming TCS refunds (TCS is applied when sending money abroad for education) will simplify financial planning for students and families. With these measures, higher education becomes more accessible, helping create a future-ready generation of students," he said.

Abhijit Zaveri, Founder and Director, Career Mosaic, said the growing interplay between education, technology, and employability underscores the need for a more integrated approach to global learning pathways.

Vinay Kumar Swamy, Country Head, Pearson India, said the expansion of digital infrastructure in government schools and the focus on multilingual digital content will play a crucial role in making education more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that students and aspirants across India can build future-ready skills. PTI GJS GJS TIR TIR

Skill and AI education push creates national skilling centres, an AI education centre, expands IIT capacity and eases overseas education payments. The budget announces five National Centres of Excellence for skilling and a Centre of Excellence for AI in Education with dedicated funding to promote innovation and workforce readiness, expansion of IIT infrastructure to increase student capacity, augmentation of medical education seats, and research fellowships. Complementary measures include an expanded network of Atal Tinkering Labs, broadband connectivity for government schools, digital access to Indian language books, and a streamlined procedure for claiming tax collected at source on international education payments.